1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and methods for practicing the art and skills of calf-roping and, more particularly, to a novel apparatus and method for practicing roping live calves without the use of a roping horse.
2. The Prior Art
Due in large part to rodeos and other competitions, the art of calf-roping has become quite popular among both spectators and potential competitors. A person's success at calf-roping depends upon his or her roping skills, stamina, and timing, as well as upon the skill and training of the roping horse.
Typically, calf-roping is performed by a rider on horseback. The rider, swinging a rope, approaches a running calf from behind. When he is in the correct position, the rider throws the rope around the neck of the calf and simultaneously pulls the roping horse back such that the horse begins to stop. The calf continues to run, but it is soon pulled to the ground as it reaches the end of the rope, which has been tied to the horn of the roper's saddle. Any slack in the rope is thereafter removed by the roping horse, which backs up so as to maintain constant tension in the rope. At the same time, the rider dismounts the horse and, being assisted by the tension in the rope, flips the calf onto its back. The calf-roping event is then completed by the rider tying the legs of the calf.
In order to become a skillful calf-roper, one must perfect several difficult skills and techniques. For example, it is first necessary to learn how to throw a loop of rope, or lasso, around an object. One must then learn how to control his or her throws while mounted on a horse. As the roper becomes more skillful, timing becomes critical; and a roper must practice throwing the rope and stopping the horse quickly and accurately and without following the running calf for any considerably distance. Finally, the roper must learn to dismount the horse in such a manner so as not to lose momentum while moving toward the roped calf.
One of the major problems encountered by those who desire to become skillful calf-ropers is obtaining sufficient practice time. A person's roping skills can, of course, be perfected to a degree by practicing roping inanimate objects. However, it is virtually impossible to perfect one's skills of timing and accuracy without considerable practice time roping live animals. Naturally, it is most desirable to obtain as much practice as possible roping from horseback. However, a single roping horse cannot be used for roping more than about six to eight calves a day without overdoing, and perhaps ruining, the horse. As mentioned above, the horse plays an important part in calf-roping and must be highly trained. Consequently, a good roping horse is quite expensive, and it is uncommon for most calf-ropers to be able to afford more than one roping horse. Thus, calf ropers have often been limited to six to eight live roping sessions a day, which is not adequate to develop the needed skills.
In order to help calf-ropers adequately practice their skills, those skilled in the art have attempted to develop apparatus and methods for practicing calf-roping which simulate to a certain degree an actual calf-roping experience. Typically, these prior art devices comprise both a mechanical horse and a mechanical calf, one or both of which are attached to a long, endless chain and are thereby capable of being propelled for a distance over the ground surface. When using these prior art devices, the rider surmounts the mechanical horse and thereafter practices roping the mechanical calf. Although these prior art devices may be helpful in giving a calf-roper additional practice time, they have proven to be inadequate in several respects.
First, these prior art devices for practicing calf-roping are generally quite complex and expensive. They require large, expensive motors and long chains to propel the mechanical animals, and the mechanical animals may also be quite expensive. Moreover, these devices have typically required some degree of on-going maintenance, which further adds to the expense of these devices.
In addition, these prior art devices are generally quite large and are difficult, if not impossible, to transport from one place to another. In order to provide the needed stability and support for the component parts, these prior art devices are typically mounted to some suitable type of permanent foundation. Even in those cases where the prior art type devices may be mounted to a temporary support structure, however, transportation of such devices may be quite tedious and time consuming. Consequently, these prior art devices are impractical for use on the road or as a warm-up device immediately before a competition.
Also, the prior art calf-roping practice devices have only a single use and serve no practical purpose on a ranch or in a stockyard when the device is not being used to practice calf-roping. This further adds to the expense of the device and makes the device somewhat undesirable as a ranch accessory.
Further, these prior art calf-roping practice devices do not adequately simulate an actual roping experience. In these devices, both the horse and the animal are typically propelled in a straight, predictable path. Thus, the rider obtains little practice in anticipating movements of the calf and thereby sharpening his timing and accuracy. Also, although some of the devices are constructed to permit the mechanical calf to fall or stop after being roped, none of the devices simulate the action of a roping horse in taking up the slack in the rope after the calf has been roped and in assisting the calf roper in turning the calf onto its back. Thus, these prior art practice devices provide little help in allowing the calf-roper to practice the final stages of the calf-roping event by dismounting the horse, turning the calf into its back, and tying the feet of the calf together.
Due to the above mentioned inadequacies, these prior art devices have generally not been considered to be successful as serious tools for perfecting calf-roping skills. Therefore, they have not been generally used by calf-ropers and are not considered adequate to help calf-ropers obtain the additional practice time which is needed to perfect their calf-roping skills.
Accordingly, it would be an improvement in the art to provide an apparatus for practicing calf-roping which is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain. It would also be an improvement in the art to provide an apparatus for practicing calf-roping which is easily transported from one place to another and which may be easily used as a warm-up device before a calf-roping competition. In addition, it would be an improvement in the art to provide an apparatus for practicing calf-roping which may be used on a ranch or in a stockyard without occupying considerable space. Additionally, it would be an improvement in the art to provide an apparatus for practicing calf-roping which may serve a useful function on a ranch or in a stockyard, in addition to its function as a calf-roping practice device. Further, it would be an improvement in the art to provide an apparatus for practicing calf-roping, wherein the user is roping a real calf under simulated roping conditions. It would also be an improvement in the art to provide a method for practicing calf-roping on real calves which does not require the use of an expensive roping horse. Such a device and method is disclosed and claimed herein.